Health, emergencies & personal safety
Insurance, medicine records, emergency numbers, payment backups and a passport-loss sequence make it easier to ask the right authority for help.
China now
The emergency numbers are national, but language, payment and facility arrangements are local. A bilingual summary, exact address and insurer contact remove the most common friction.
International departments exist in some larger-city hospitals, but language support, opening hours and clinical capability vary. Carry a short bilingual medical summary and the facility’s Chinese name and address.
Use 120 for an ambulance, 110 for police and 119 for fire. Be ready to show or send the precise Chinese address, nearby landmark and callback number; ask hotel or venue staff to assist without delaying an urgent call.
Official emergency-number guide ↗A facility may require payment or a deposit while the insurer later reimburses you. Ask the insurer about approval and direct billing, carry more than one payment method and collect itemised Chinese receipts and records.
Bring the generic name, dose and original packaging for essential medicine. Do not substitute a similar-looking local brand or rely on photo translation for dosage; ask a qualified pharmacist or clinician.
Before departure
Check that the policy covers China, emergency medical care, the activities you will actually do, existing-condition rules, trip disruption and any evacuation benefit you need. Save the policy number, exclusions and 24-hour assistance contact offline.
Carry essential diagnoses, allergies, current medicines and emergency contacts in plain English, with generic medicine names where possible. Add a Chinese translation if a clinician or trusted translator can prepare one accurately.
Ask the insurer whether it requires pre-authorisation, uses direct billing or expects reimbursement. Carry an independent payment method and request itemised receipts and medical records for any claim.
Discuss vaccinations, chronic conditions, heat, altitude and the journey with an appropriately qualified professional. An online destination checklist cannot assess an individual's health.
Medicines
Customs rules apply to passenger baggage, and controlled or special medicines can require additional approval. Ask China Customs or the relevant authority about an uncertain medicine before travelling.
Getting medical care
Facility capability, language support, payment and insurance arrangements vary. An insurer, hotel or local contact can help locate care, but none replaces emergency services.
Give the city, precise location, patient's condition and a callback number as clearly as possible. Ask a nearby Chinese speaker, hotel or venue staff member to help if communication is difficult—but do not delay an emergency call while searching for perfect translation.
Ask which facility it recommends, whether approval is required and what documentation to collect. The insurer's directory is not a guarantee of availability, English service or cashless treatment.
Take identification, insurance details, allergy and medicine information, a local contact, translation support and more than one payment method. Do not hand over a payment password or verification code.
Request the diagnosis, prescription, test results, itemised charges and receipts. Before leaving, confirm what worsening symptoms require urgent return and how follow-up should work.
Everyday health
Food
Prefer busy, clean-looking businesses; wash hands before eating; be cautious with raw animal products, unpasteurised products and food that has been standing at an unsafe temperature.
Water
National Health Commission guidance for foreign visitors recommends bottled, boiled, filtered or disinfected water for drinking and brushing teeth. Check the bottle seal rather than relying on appearance alone.
Heat & sun
Move strenuous outdoor activity away from the hottest hours, drink regularly and build indoor recovery time. Confusion, fainting or severe illness needs urgent medical attention.
Cold, storms & altitude
China spans very different climates. Follow official weather warnings, carry appropriate layers, and seek qualified advice before rapid ascent or demanding activity at altitude.
Save before travel
Calls may not provide service in every language. Ask a trusted nearby person to help describe the location, but do not delay an urgent call.
110
Personal assault, theft, immediate threats and property crime
119
Fire and rescue emergencies
120
Ambulance and urgent first aid
12367
NIA enquiries, including help finding the correct exit-entry process; not a replacement for 110/119/120
Lost or stolen passport
Save a secure copy of the passport information page, visa or entry permission, insurance details and your own mission's contacts before travel. A copy is useful evidence but is not a travel document.
Tell the police whether the passport was lost or stolen and obtain the formal confirmation or certificate required for the next steps. Keep a copy and note the station details.
Follow its process for a replacement passport or emergency travel document. Save the correct mission's daytime and emergency contacts before the trip; opening hours and documentary requirements differ.
After obtaining the replacement travel document, contact the local public-security exit-entry administration. NIA guidance describes reissuance procedures where a passport, visa or residence document is lost.
Ask the airline, railway, hotel and insurer what they require. Do not assume a police report alone changes passenger identity on an existing booking.
Your embassy or consulate
Use your own government's official mission website for current telephone numbers, jurisdiction and emergency instructions. A consulate may help with travel documents and contact, but cannot guarantee treatment, pay private bills or override Chinese law.
Foreign consular institutions in China ↗Store offline
Fraud and payment safety
No checklist prevents every fraud. Use official channels, separate payment backups and verify unusual requests independently.
A legitimate payment does not require you to disclose a payment password, SMS one-time code, card PIN or full remote control of your screen. End the interaction and contact the provider through its official app or number.
Check merchant name, amount and currency before approving. Avoid scanning an unexplained QR code or transferring to an unrelated personal account for a normal hotel, taxi or ticket purchase.
Be cautious when a message moves payment to a private chat, asks for a fresh deposit, threatens immediate cancellation or supplies a new bank account. Verify through the platform or property's previously confirmed contact.
At airports and stations, follow the official taxi queue or designated ride-hailing pickup. Match the plate in the app and avoid unsolicited offers in the arrivals hall.
Provide passport information only when the authority, accommodation, carrier or booking genuinely requires it. Do not send unnecessary scans through an unverified chat or public Wi-Fi form.
Move to a safe place and call 110. Preserve messages, receipts, transaction references and the location, but do not put yourself at risk to collect evidence.
Official sources
Source-linked guidance
Every guide links to official or primary sources so you can verify important details before travel.
Reviewed August 2026
